Chicago Open Air 2017, Chicago’s Heavy Metal Festival Brings Over 70,000 Fans for 3 Day Weekend

Toyota Park, Bridgeview IL, USA, Sunday July 16 2017

Review by Jake Warkel

The final day of Chicago Open Air 2017 with the last two bands of the evening Slayer on the second stage and then the one and only “The Prince of Darkness” Ozzy Osbourne on the main stage with the his fellow brother on his left once again Zakk Wylde. Ozzy will reunite with longtime guitarist Zakk Wylde for a summer tour that marks the 30th anniversary of when the two first collaborated. But first lets get to Slayer as the crowd around the second stage is packed and fired up.

Araya welcomes the crowd to the parking lot as that is where the second stage is set-up at and said asphalt will make you tougher fuck the grass.

The energy of the crowd was so intense the moment Slayer started “Repent-less” from self titled album “Repent-less” as that was their first song of the evening. “Repent-less” was also Slayer’s first album following the death of founding member Jeff Hanneman in 2013. “Disciple” kept the crowd moshing and body surfing. “Hate Worldwide” to “War Ensemble” just killed in true Slayer fashion they just play hard, fast, aggressive and with attitude.  The stage during the songs is pretty much constant fire balls shooting up in the air as well as fire pits to right and left side of stage.  Fire always works well on stage.

Slayer

Slayer

“Mandatory Suicide”, “Born of Fire”, and “Dead Skin Mask” kept these fans mashing and creating mosh pits all around.

Slayer has built up quite the fan base over the years and it’s definitely growing as they do these festivals younger crowds come out and are seeing Slayer for the first time. Slayer has the old school fan base and they have never left so they constantly are growing their base which is great to see.  Gary Holt and Kerry King’s duo guitar playing melts your face-off I don’t care if you are a fan of Slayer but you should be, nothing brings out the crazy in people and people need to be crazy once in awhile. “Season in the Abyss” Tom Araya just delivers with his heavy vocals that always makes me wonder how does it.  The power is there every time I’ve seen Slayer and at some point, I always wondered how Tom’s voice can handle the screams and hells and do it for so long the way he does is fucking amazing. Going straight to their classics “Hell Awaits”,“South of Heaven”, “Raining Blood”, “Chemical Warfare” and the final song on the night “Angel of Death.  Slayer finishing with these 5 classics as their final songs of the night one right after another just is insane for the fans. Constant aggression and pure energy are felt as they are kicking the shit out of these songs.  All 5 of these songs have killer licks, riffs, and a heavy punch you in throat or face or whatever you like crunch.  The mosh pits and body surfing went to the very end of their final song “Angel of Death” I’ve never been disappointed when going to a Slayer show.  Much respect for these guys as they continue to move forward and perform and play for the loyal fans they have and are gaining. The fans showed their love to Slayer but now are rushing over to the MainStage as Ozzy Osbourne took the stage in about 10 min.

Band Members: Kerry King guitarist,  Tom Araya lead vocalist and bassist, Paul Bostaph Drums and Gary Holt guitarist

Slayer Setlist Chicago Open Air 2017

  • Repent-less
  • Disciple
  • Hate Worldwide
  • War Ensemble
  • Mandatory Suicide
  • Born of Fire
  • Dead Skin Mask
  • Season in the Abyss
  • Hell Awaits
  • South of Heaven
  • Raining Blood
  • Chemical Warfare
  • Angel of Death

Continue to read Part 2: Ozzy Osbourne review at Chicago Open Air 2017

Ozzy Osbourne (credit Aurora Torres)

 

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